Rio and Mutinda talk blossoming partnership

Football Kenya Federation Premier League,title contenders KCB’s fine start to the current campaign has been partially due to a splendid midfield partnership between Brian ‘Rio’ Ochieng and Michael Mutinda.

The duo has managed to pull strings for the Bankers in the middle of the park, ensuring that the Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno-led team trail log leading Tusker by just six points albeit with a game in hand.

In all the fifteen games KCB has played, the Bankers have only lost one game that the two midfielders have been deployed together, a 2-1 loss to AFC Leopards. In an interview on the league’s social media platforms, Mutinda attributes their effective understanding on the pitch to the relationship that they have.

“Our partnership is really good because first of all we are friends before anything else. So whenever I have the ball I know wherever he is on the pitch which makes it easy to play,” Mutinda said.

Since Mutinda joined KCB back in November 2018 when KCB had earned promotion back to the top flight competition, Rio states that the two have engaged in most of the assignments together. The midfielder on his part acknowledging that it is that longevity, like fine wine, that is bearing results on the pitch.

“Since we got promoted back to the top-tier league. We have played together with Mutinda since the third game till now. That is why the partnership has grown to become so strong,” he revealed.

The impressive performances this season culminated in Mutinda being called up to the senior Harambee Stars squad. Unfortunately, after picking up a knee injury, the dreadlocked midfielder was only limited to thirty minutes on the pitch against Tanzania in an international friendly match on his debut.

Meanwhile, KCB started the season strongly, winning their first six games in a row. The side also currently boasts of having conceded the second fewest number of goals in the entire league, just letting in 12 goals past their goal. Most of this, due to the flourishing partnership.